You may be familiar with laminate paper or laminate flooring, but did you know that laminates are also used in insulation? Regardless of application, laminates are defined as materials made by bonding two or more layers of material. This process can use heat, pressure, or adhesives to bond those materials. The components used in these layers vary depending on the applications. Here are the three main categories of laminate insulation:
Synthetic Rubber Laminates
These laminates are made with aluminum and synthetic rubber. The laminate itself can be applied with a peel-and-stick-method. The applications are rather diverse, being used for both interior and exterior on pipes, ducts, and tanks. The greatest benefit of synthetic rubber laminates is that small punctures and penetrations will naturally reseal.
Multi-Ply Laminates
Also utilizing peel-and-stick adhesives, multi-ply laminates use aluminum with polyester or polyethylene film. Highly customizable, these laminates can be smooth or embossed and are available with several colours and chemical resistant films. They are cut easily and as such make for simple installation in the field.
Laminated Foil Jacketing
Traditionally, laminated foil jacketing has been used for pipe, tank, and equipment vapor retarder applications. It uses the lamination of white paper, fiberglass scrim, and aluminum foil, and is commonly referred to as All-Service Jacket or ASJ. The variations of this type of lamination use the acronyms FSK, PSP, and PSK. All of these meet ASTM C1136 requirements; Standard Specification for Flexible, Low Permeance Vapor Retarders for Thermal Insulation.
Laminates are a valuable insulation that can be used for a multitude of industrial and mechanical applications. Due to their method of manufacture, laminates can come in a wide range of thicknesses and configurations, making them an excellent choice. If you are curious about how laminates can be applied to your industry, call us today at (403) 242-1357.
